Sabotage Conspiracies and Medieval Matchmaking
by Lira-chan
Summary: [HIATUS] [AU] Iori's a god with eyes for a certain blonde, Sora's a domineering tavern owner out to smoke the competition, Daisuke's a millionaire, and Ken's a serving wench. Show's just about to begin. [TAKORI, jyoushiro, mira, taito, kensuke, miyakari]
1. CHAPTER ONE

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Lira: Well. Another story, another introduction- isn't that right, Iori?

Iori: Sadly, yes.

Lira: (frowns) Spoilsport. ANYWAY- this time we're going to have some FUN with the characters, are we not? And you actually get to be in the fic, Iori! You're, like, a star!

Iori: (pained look) I don't consider this to be a good thing.

Lira: (grumbling) Stupid midget. If you can't be positive, at least be productive. Get disclaiming!

Iori: Alright, alright. This _should_ be fairly obvious, but you never know. Digimon does not belong to Lira-chan. She's making no money. She's flat broke. You REALLY don't want to sue her (she'll hurt me).

Lira: (beams innocently) Of course I won't! (hiding a rather suspicious-looking wire whisk behind her back) Pairings are important, too. This was originally primarily Takori. There are other couples, though. Jyoushiro, Mira, Taito, Daikensuke, and Miyakari. That's right, not a single het couple in the lot. If this isn't your cup of tea, feel free to leave. You HAVE been warned; but flames are welcome, you pathetic little fools! (cackle)

Iori: …Does anyone STILL not see why I fear her? Please? Help me?

Lira: (businesslike) I think that's everything. Love to my best people on the web, but this one is dedicated to the wonderful Karasu-goddess, a.k.a. Dragonflie, to Aphrael, and to Rae. Check out somethingzany. It's gorgeous. On to the fic! Not _too_ much happening just yet; we need to meet the cast and crew.

Iori: Welcome to my private-hell-made-public. Enjoy.

-

SABOTAGE CONSPIRACIES AND MEDIEVAL MATCHMAKING

--by: lira-chan--

-

Chapter One

Iori lay on his back, staring sightlessly up at the white canopy billowing above him. He was mindlessly bored. Again. The thing of it was, Iori was supposed to be the "God of Wisdom." Being a god should have been great - save for the part where the Powers dictating who was destined for godliness and who was not forgot to tell him what the God of Wisdom _did_. Not knowing was becoming increasingly more and more frustrating.

Not many people prayed to the God of Wisdom, either. And they were constantly getting Iori's name wrong. For some reason, his entire following seemed to think that Iori was a Greek girl named Athena capable of turning anyone into a genius. If Iori really had godlike powers, he couldn't even use them to turn himself into a god who maybe came _close_ to being of average height. He couldn't use his "powers" to toast bread. He was a pretty pathetic god to pray to. Apparently that was why so few people _did. _

There were upsides to being a god, though. For one, you didn't have to eat - or sleep, either. Iori did both of these things all the same, mainly because the activities took _time_, which Iori had an eternity of, but it was pretty neat to know that he didn't _have_ to. That was what the bed Iori was laying on was for. He _had_ been napping - until he woke up. Waking up meant he'd have to find something else to do, since he wouldn't be able to nap again for a while. Iori rose from the bed - a fun, four-poster canopy affair, which was made of a nearly white wood that Iori couldn't name and covered in an entirely white bed set. The bed vanished as if it had never been there.

Well, maybe Iori could use his godly powers after all. He could make beds disappear and reappear - although he didn't know how he did it - and he could "make" food. One would kind of think that a "God of Wisdom" would have more power. On the other hand, Iori couldn't use the "stuff making" power to change his room - although it _was_ a pretty interesting place even without his personal touches. Maybe the living space was another perk. Iori happened to live in a big, white wall-less dome. The "ceiling" was supported by a ring of white pillars very reminiscent of Ancient Greece. However, there wasn't much of a ceiling to support; the majority of the dome was open to the elements, which were quite lacking. It was always comfortable inside the immaculate white dome, with its walls and ceiling open to a sky that was more white than blue.

A gorgeous house and nothing to do.

Calmly, Iori walked over to the very center of the surprisingly large round building, carefully seating himself beside the circular pool located there. The water in the pool was perfectly clear and colorless, and Iori liked to think that he could see straight to the bottom… Only whenever Iori looked into the water, the bottom seemed to vanish, offering an illusion of great depth - depth that was impossible, considering that the pool was in the middle of a building. Logically, Iori would have to dismiss magic as impossible - only he was a god, and that was magic, wasn't it? Iori had decided that this pool, too, was magic. It was also his one source of entertainment.

Somehow, Iori's one "recreational activity" had turned into a bit of a guilty pleasure. He moved to stretch out in front of the pool, making himself comfortable; he'd probably be there for a while. It seemed so silly when Iori thought about it, but the pool could be used to _watch_ people. More importantly, even Iori could use it, what with his meager godly abilities. Iori had decided that the visions in the pool were controlled by thought- but they _were_ real visions, of real people. Iori felt guilty about spying, but it was lonely in whatever reality he'd come to inhabit… And he'd kill for decent company.

The problem was, with Iori's abilities, he'd probably be able to figure out how to kill, but not how to drag some company into the reality to visit him. And Iori wasn't a killer. Meanwhile, the pool had already begun to shift, and an image began to come into focus. His attention instantly caught despite the number of times he'd watched, Iori stared in fascination as a picture of a boy appeared in the water, colorful and full of motion.

The boy in the image was blond, his bright yellow hair hanging in his face, dampened by either sweat or soapy water- Iori wasn't sure. Perhaps if he stared more closely he'd be able to tell. From previous days spent watching the blonde boy, Iori knew that his eyes were blue, even if they were currently cast down at the boy's work. It was a shame, really, that the boy couldn't look up. He had the most beautiful blue eyes, or so Iori thought- very bright and intelligent eyes; not a sky blue, but more of a sapphire… Eyes you could stare into forever. Iori should shift the focus so that he could look up at the boy, as if he were lying on the floor the boy sat on, with the youth crouched over _him_ -

But why would the beautiful blonde boy be lying over Iori? The blonde was _busy_ anyway; he was scrubbing floors. From careful observation over oh, say, six months - maybe more? Iori had determined that the blonde worked in a tavern as some sort of drudge - he was always scrubbing and mopping and washing plates. His brother also worked in the tavern, and the brother's name was Yamato. Yamato was also blonde and blue-eyed, but unimportant. Iori's blonde boy, on the other hand-

"Hey, does your loverboy happen to have a name, Iori?"

"M-Miyako?" Iori spluttered in response, incredulous. He actually tore himself away from the blonde boy in the pool, who had begun biting his lip in an endearing fashion as he shoved his body forward and back, putting force behind his scrubbing.

Miyako grinned proudly at being recognized, flipping violet locks out of her face and shoving her glasses back up her nose with one finger. For a minute, Iori permitted himself to just be mortified that Miyako had found him in a zombie-like state, staring at a blonde kid in a pool of water. _Then_ he began to wonder where Miyako had come from- she was the Goddess of Love, but she had her own little reality, separate from Iori's. She didn't really need to be paying Iori a visit. Still… Miyako wasn't just the "Goddess of Love," but she was the "Goddess of Light," too. Not only that, but Miyako took her positions seriously… As seriously as she could, anyway. Which meant she was there to meddle.

"So who's the pretty blond boy?" Miyako pressed, continuing to glance down at the pool every so often, where the boy was still scrubbing away. "And when were you going to tell me you liked boys, huh? Eternity would be so much less boring if I knew we actually had something in _common."_

"Takeru," Iori admitted, knowing that there was no way he would be able to avoid giving Miyako the name for forever. It was easiest to just get things over with, when dealing with the violet-haired fiend.

"But you like him, right?"

Miyako laughed when Iori began to go pink, obviously amused by the new source of entertainment. Iori glowered at her, not liking being laughed at, but Miyako paid him no mind.

"If you like him, you have to _do_ something about it!" she decided. "Don't tell me you're too shy to say anything! You're a god. It would be pretty pathetic if you couldn't even say how you feel."

"I can take my time if I want," Iori protested, obviously unsure of how he should reply. He was still trying to figure out when he'd confessed to harboring feelings for the blonde, Takeru - and for way too long.

"Look, Iori, he doesn't even know you exist," Miyako began logically, reasoning. "Not only that, but you aren't exactly _doing_ anything up here by yourself. You need to go down there _now_, and see about actually meeting this kid. Before you pine away to - well, I guess you can't die, but this certainly isn't healthy!"

"Supposing I figure out how to get there," Iori countered, "what, exactly, are you proposing I do? Somehow, I doubt mentioning how I'd caught sight of him in a magic looking-pool that was my 'welcome to the office of God of Wisdom' present would go over well with Takeru."

"He might be flattered," Miyako offered, shrugging it off. Iori sighed. Miyako began speaking again. "This wouldn't work for you, because I doubt Takeru is interested in becoming a disciple of the God of Wisdom, but I could suggest looking to the priesthood if you're really that lonely… You'd be surprised how young some of the novices are! Cute, too."

"Miyako… You wouldn't…" Iori murmured, although he was already sure that she _would_ and she _had_. "But you're the Goddess of Light! Aren't you supposed to have a following of priestesses?"

"And your point?" Miyako asked, unfazed.

"Aren't your priestesses supposed to be cloistered? Celibate?"

"So?" Miyako asked again, swirling her finger in the pool. Iori was about to protest, but already the image was beginning to come back together. The picture Iori saw in the pool then was different.

"She's a pretty priestess-in-training, isn't she?" Miyako asked, no longer completely paying attention to Iori. "And she isn't cloistered away, either. She lives with her brother."

"But is she celibate?" Iori questioned wryly.

"It's not important," Miyako said dismissively, brushing off the question. "And I'm a goddess anyway, so if you made vows of celibacy _to_ me, you could still break them _for_ me. It would be… Like… Praying!"

Iori didn't immediately have words with which to respond to that declaration. Only Miyako could link religion and sex in such an audacious manner. Iori was already burying his face in his hands; he didn't want to look at either Miyako or the image in the water.

"What's wrong, Iori?" Why did she have to ask?

"Nothing."

Miyako had changed the pool's focus so that it displayed a picture of Miyako's priestess-in-training in real time. The girl _was_ pretty, Iori decided; she had chin-length brown hair and warm brown eyes, and she was petite… Slender… Utterly nude. The brunette in the water happened to be standing in a little cubicle, merrily soaping up her hair in what she doubtlessly thought was complete privacy.

"You're bright red," Miyako stated tactlessly. "There has to be something wrong."

"Oh, nothing, I was only wondering if you always spied on your priestesses when they're showering." Iori probably shouldn't have said that.

"Only sometimes," Miyako answered honestly. Iori's head went back in his hands.

"Oh, get over it!" Miyako exclaimed. "At least I'm going to _do_ something. As a priestess of the Light, Hikari will have to perform a confirmation rite in order to transition from a priestess-in-training to a full-fledged priestess. Usually I only make an appearance at those rites if I'm really bored, but I'm showing up for Hikari's. It'll be perfect. Just a little while longer, and it'll be perfect."

Iori didn't understand how it would be "perfect," but he didn't dare ask. Miyako seemed content with the lecturing she had performed, for she chose that time to make her exit. A little flash of light, and she was gone. Alone again, Iori swirled his own finger in the water, before waiting for the image to reform. There was Takeru, still scrubbing the tavern floors… Nice.

-

"Come on, Taichi, get in here already! I'm not paying you to wander like a snail from one room to the next; get in here so you can get back to work."

The voice yelling out into the hall was shrill, feminine, and more than a bit irritated. That was because the girl the voice belonged to was a one Sora Takenouchi, and the boy she was dealing with was Taichi Yagami. When a person was short on patience, it was easy to become irritated with Taichi. It didn't help that, as of late, Sora's fuse seemed to be getting shorter and shorter. In Takeru's mind, Sora _was_ a nice girl and a good person, despite being a bit of a control freak. She wasn't naturally impatient, but she _was_ becoming uptight.

Takeru wouldn't judge, though; he'd be fair. Sora wasn't impatient or irritable by nature, but her need to control had unearthed a competitive side to the girl. A new tavern had opened up in town- a town that, previously, had been serviced exclusively by Sora's tavern. A tavern which happened to be aptly named "Sora's Tavern." The problem was that Sora was unused to any form of competition, and she didn't seem to be coping well. Takeru privately thought that the girl was going overboard, but he wouldn't _say_ so - not in Sora's presence. The girl could be _menacing. _

Takeru was in the kitchen. Like Taichi, he worked in Sora's tavern. However, both Taichi and Yamato - Takeru's brother and another one of Sora's employees - had interesting employment positions. Takeru, on the other hand, did not. Taichi and Yamato switched off, job-wise. Beneath Sora, they were the only workers in the tavern other than Takeru. That meant that they were _technically_ understaffed, but they coped. Both Taichi and Yamato were servers, with Taichi running the bar on the side, while Yamato manned the cashbox. They _did_ switch, occasionally, but Sora didn't fully trust Taichi with the money. Takeru's job? He was the "cleaner." A drudge. He went back to scrubbing the kitchen floors, although he listened as Taichi finally managed to saunter into Sora's office.

"Sorry for taking." Taichi's voice. Takeru couldn't see it, but he could _hear_ the cocky grin on Taichi's face; the boy was obviously unrepentant.

"Taichi." And that was Sora. Takeru smiled slightly, but he kept scrubbing. Sora's voice sounded strained, and Takeru found that he could actually pity her. Having to deal with financial competition, then having to deal with Taichi on _top_ of that? Sora had a right to feel stressed.

"Alright, alright." Taichi was actually becoming serious. Or, rather, as serious as Taichi would become. "What was it you dragged me in here for? The new tavern, right? What was its name again…? I just can't remember. Ah, well, I heard it was run by a girl. Guess you aren't the only overbearing female tavern owner in town, huh?"

"I guess not," Sora said tightly. "And it's 'Mimi's House of Marvels.'" _Then_ Sora's voice sounded disdainful. Condescending. More like usual.

"Mimi, huh? That's the girl's name?"

Takeru had stopped scrubbing; he was interested in what was being said, so he sat up to listen. The problem was that he continued to hold onto the scrubber, and soapy water was dripping on his pants. With the air of one who was long-suffering yet tolerant, Takeru began to scrub again, although he never ceased his listening.

Taichi and Sora were in Sora's little office; inside the tavern everything was off of one main hall. The common room for customers was in front, and it took up more than half of the main floor. The main hall led to the back, with the kitchens occupying the entire space to the left. On the right, the first door was Sora's office, the second a broom closet, and the third a staircase heading upward, to the private half of the tavern and the bedrooms. The final door, at the end of the hall, was another staircase. This staircase led to the enormous basement and storage area. With the layout of the building, Takeru had to concentrate to hear Sora and Taichi all the way across the hall, despite their volume.

"Yes," came Sora's reply, after just a moment. "I… Know her. Mimi and I were friends a long while back, but she moved to another town. I guess she's returning at last - just in time to open that despicable tavern."

"If you know each other, and you're friends and all, why don't you just go over to her tavern and make nice?" Taichi suggested, surprising Takeru with his logic. Who would have thought - Taichi, making a reasonable suggestion? Never.

"No!" Sora exclaimed immediately, doubtlessly surprising Taichi with the force behind the statement. She must have realized her mistake; in his mind, Takeru could envision Sora flailing silently, gesturing futilely in an attempt to correct the error.

"I can't do that," Sora began again, sounding much calmer the second time around. "You just wouldn't understand, Taichi. We can't lose. Our tavern is older, we've been here longer, and we can't be driven out just like that. We have to show her how determined we are! That's why I asked to speak to you."

"Me?" Taichi asked, bafflement clear in his voice. "What do you want me to do?"

Once again, Takeru could hear the smile, rather than see it; Sora was scheming. "I know for a fact that Mimi has three assistants in her tavern. I don't know who they are, not yet, but that part isn't important. If we want to out-do Mimi, we'll need more help. Taichi, Hikari will have to start working."

"Not Hikari."

If anything, Taichi had spoken even more quickly than Sora, when Sora had been prodded in regards to Mimi. Hikari was Taichi's baby sister, and his love for the girl was fierce. He protected her whenever he could, unwilling to allow _any_ misfortune to befall his little sister. Taichi's obsession with Hikari was probably his one real weakness. Taichi seemed a bit dense at times, and he was anything but serious… Still, he was a good person, and possessed the qualities of a strong leader beneath the rough exterior.

Hikari… Taichi probably didn't need to worry so much about his little sister. Takeru and Hikari were fast friends, and Takeru knew Hikari to be a tough girl in her own right. She, too, lived in the tavern with Sora, Takeru, and the rest, although she didn't work. Rather, Hikari was training to be a priestess. She aspired to be a priestess of the Light, an acolyte of the goddess Miyako. Her brother supported her dream, and it was on his earnings at the tavern that she survived. Takeru, too, respected Hikari's ambition. A priestess was a noble calling, and Hikari was perfectly suited to the role.

Takeru had slipped into his musings about Taichi, Hikari, and Hikari's dream of entering the priestess-hood, and he had forgotten to listen to Sora and Taichi. The conversation had been moving along without him.

"…She won't do it because I _said_ so!" Taichi was yelling, when Takeru "came to." "Hikari never needed to work before, and she isn't going to start now. Don't _you_ start up about her being 'soft' and me being unreasonable, either. This time it isn't about protecting Hikari. It's about Hikari's _dream. _Her studies are almost complete; supposedly there's just a bit more, this big ritual, and then she'll be a _real_ priestess. You _can't_ take that away from her. I won't let you."

"Fine," Sora said. Takeru couldn't quite hear it, but he knew the word had been accompanied by a sigh from the girl; Sora had been defeated. "I guess I'll just have to find another way of ensuring that we remain one step ahead of Mimi always. _And_ ensuring that we make the money _you_ need to support your priestess sister. You may go. Get back to your work."

"Oh… Okay." Takeru smiled wryly; Taichi must have been surprised about winning against stubborn Sora with such ease- and about being dismissed with such speed. Takeru heard Taichi's footsteps as he made his way back down the hall to the common room.

Takeru reckoned that he had just "witnessed" all of the excitement allotted to that afternoon. Resigned, he returned to his scrubbing with a vengeance.

-

Ken sat quietly in the common room, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. He was as immaculate as always, even in simple, plain-colored clothes. On the inside, however, he was in the mindset of a wanted man - a hunted thing. Mimi would be in at any moment, and he was already dreading that arrival with every fiber of his being. Mimi might _look_ like a nice enough girl, but she could be _fearsome. _It wasn't even a matter of trying; she merely evoked a powerful feeling of dread in those wise enough to think ahead.

Glancing up furtively, Ken eyed the two companions present with him in the common room. Somehow, both Koushiro and Jyou looked remarkably calm. Then again, Ken was fairly certain he _looked_ calm enough; the way he _felt_ was another matter entirely. Ken had a reason to worry. He worked along with Koushiro and Jyou in Mimi's tavern - or he would, once the place officially opened. Koushiro was the doorman, keeping track of the customers coming in and taking their money. Even Mimi couldn't make that job too hellish. Jyou was their chef, meaning he was safe in the isolation of the kitchen. Safe from Mimi - Ken wasn't sure if Jyou was safe from himself. Ken, however, was a server, and he was sure that the worst was yet to come.

"Jyou-- Someone-- Urgh!"

There was a thumping sound, followed by what might have been a crash, only muffled. Then there was increasingly heavy breathing, accompanied by a weak yet triumphant squeal. Apparently, a near-catastrophe had been averted. A few moments more, and Mimi appeared in the doorway leading further into the tavern. Her cheeks were flushed and her vibrantly pink hair was in disarray, but a smile graced her lips. In her arms was an oversized wooden box, which she was struggling to keep a grip on.

The box was painted pink.

"I finally got the uniforms!" she announced cheerfully, hefting the box up onto the bar, exhaling forcefully, and brushing a few stray strands of pink hair out of her eyes. "Just in time for the grand opening…"

Mimi was obviously excited about the opening of her tavern, leaving the three boys to cautiously contemplate the box. Ken only wondered why the box had to be so _pink._ With Mimi, everything was pink. Her hair, her clothes - her tavern. The walls were all painted a deep, dignified red, the chairs and booths that were upholstered were done up in ruby, and all of the currently naked lanterns were accompanied by covers of red stained glass. With the glass in place, the tavern would be flooded in rosy pink light. The entire place would look like a room in a love hotel.

Then again, Ken did wonder why Mimi had bothered with a heavy box at all, if it was just three uniforms she was carrying. Perhaps it was the surprise element that appealed to her. Perhaps Mimi had only brought the box to be _purposefully_ unreasonable - if the same odd logic were to be applied to the way Mimi had decorated the tavern, everything would make sense.

Well, don't you want to see what I got?" Mimi asked, when her declaration was met by naught but silence. Obviously, she expected a response - an _affirmative_ response.

"Of course, Mimi," Jyou conceded diplomatically, just the _slightest_ bit of resignation in his voice.

"Oh, good," Mimi said, bubbly once more. She slid the wooden lid off the top of the box, looking up at the three assembled boys expectantly. She pulled out the uniforms.

They were pink. Very, very pink.

Ken was probably overreacting a little. All of the cloth wasn't pink; only a fraction of it was. Most of the clothing was red, like the walls. Perhaps, if they were lucky, the clothes would match the room so perfectly that Ken would blend into the background. He could only hope. Ken took in the uniforms swiftly, gauging their acceptability. Two red suits; one was obviously too small, but the other might be Ken's size… Except it was accompanied by an atrocious "matching" red apron. That uniform was Jyou's.

The blue-haired young man in question reached out, taking the uniform Ken was eying from Mimi's hands. A moment more, and Koushiro had taken the smaller uniform as well. Leaving… Lots and lots of pink ruffles, frills, and white lace, all of it stitched together in a manner that made Ken dizzy just _looking_ at it. Lace at the collar, lace at the sleeves, lace along the hem… Ruffles and frills spilled down the front of the dress, and a skirt like a circus tent poured out below.

It was a _dress. _

"Hey Mimi," Ken began tentatively, knowing that no matter _what_ the girl said, he wouldn't like it. "If that's the dress you're going to be wearing when we open, won't it be just a bit hard to actually work?"

"Don't be silly," came Mimi's scoffing reply. "I'm already wearing my dress. And you know that I wouldn't even _try_ to sew the uniforms myself! I had them done for me. Mine, the cook's, the doorman's, the server's… That's what I asked for. I did mention that the server was kind of _gorgeous_- I would need something special for that one. I would need something special for you."

"Thank you," Ken said dryly, in response to the compliment of sorts. "You didn't happen to mention that I was a male, did you?"

"Oh, well, I told the seamstress what you look like…" Mimi trailed off, probably recalling the conversation with the woman. "You know, the long, dark hair, violet eyes, tall and slim build…"

Ken put his head in his hands. If he didn't know better, he'd say Koushiro was laughing at him. Thankfully, for Koushiro's sake, Jyou was shielding the smaller boy from view; at least Jyou was straight-faced.

"Mimi," Ken said again, assuming a perfectly serious tone and schooling his features back into a blank mask, "I'm not going to wear a corset. I won't be able to walk in this skirt, meaning you'll lose business. And I hope you didn't get any of those feminine shoes- they won't fit me."

"So what are you saying?" Mimi asked innocently. Her perception was remarkable - that was, her _lack_ of perception was remarkable.

"I'm not working in this dress," Ken said patiently.

"Oh… Well… Um… I guess you're right. I'll get you something else. And before opening night, too!" Ken shouldn't have begun congratulating himself so soon; nothing was ever that easy with Mimi. "After all, pink is completely _not_ your color. I'll find you something _much_ better."

Ken knew instantly that whatever Mimi retrieved for him would be much, _much_ worse.

-

Back in Sora's tavern, Taichi had just reappeared in the common room after his excursion into Sora's office. Brightening upon catching sight of his idol of sorts, Daisuke called out to Taichi, waving the older boy over to the table he had pretty much rented from Sora. To his delight, Daisuke had been dubbed the tavern's best and most reliable customer by Sora. Him! Reliable! Daisuke was so pleased with himself.

"Taichi!" Daisuke had called. "What did she want, anyway?"

"It seems Sora's still strung up about the opening of the new tavern," Taichi admitted. "Maybe she's getting desperate - she actually wanted to enlist Hikari."

At the mention of "Hikari," Daisuke's eyes instantly lit up. Everyone who knew of his obsession with the girl, his "unrequited love," made fun of him for it, but Daisuke took it all in stride. Maybe he snapped at his teasing friends more often than was necessary, but Daisuke thought he handled the situation just fine. Still, it didn't help that Taichi, his friend and idol, was Hikari's older brother. Daisuke would have to make sure Taichi didn't get _weird, _seeing as they were talking about Hikari.

"You told her no way, huh?" Daisuke asked, speaking as nonchalantly as he found possible. "Where is Hikari, anyway?"

Taichi offered Daisuke a level stare before answering; clearly saying "you can't pull anything over on me." "She's in her room. Studying. Did you really have to ask? And of course I told Sora no. Hikari already has enough trouble with you hounding her every hour of the day - she'll never become a priestess if she has to _work_ on top of everything else."

"I don't hound her every hour of the day," Daisuke responded, sounding hurt. He disregarded the other half of what Taichi was telling him; he really had only been curious about Hikari. "I'm here at night, too."

That earned a look from Taichi that clearly asked whether or not Daisuke was actually serious.

"You know, you should probably stop chasing Hikari while you still can," Taichi suggested carefully. He was only half changing the subject. Talking about Sora had only been a pretense; they had been speaking of Hikari all along.

"Are you saying I have no willpower?" Daisuke asking, jokingly. However, that, too, was a bit of a pretense; Daisuke knew that Taichi was serious. It would make Taichi quite happy if the younger boy decided to leave his baby sister alone. Daisuke almost felt bad. Almost. "That, now that I've gotten started, I won't be able to leave Hikari alone if I _want_ to?"

"I'm just saying that it would be _healthier_ for you if you gave up on Hikari. I'm not saying anything about you, Dai, but you don't have a chance. Stop looking after the unattainable and find someone who's interested in you." That was when Taichi gave Daisuke a stern look, but Daisuke just ignored it. He knew Taichi too well to be able to take it seriously.

"Maybe I don't want to stop," Daisuke said stubbornly. "What do you want me to do instead?"

"Get a job, maybe?"

Daisuke winced, just slightly; Taichi had scored a point. Perhaps it wasn't in Daisuke's best interest to spend every second of his free time at Sora's tavern when every second of his day was comprised of free time. By telling Daisuke to get a job, Taichi was basically telling him to get a life. The thing of it was, Daisuke didn't _need_ a job. He already had more money than he knew what to do with. And he _liked_ it that way. Spending entire days at _his_ table, as Daisuke did, waiting to catch a glimpse of Hikari, was infinitely better than drudging away scrubbing floors for endless hours, to be rewarded only by a tiny handful of coins - like Takeru did. Daisuke didn't see why Hikari was friends with the boy; Takeru was so _dull._

But all Daisuke said was "I don't need to." It was the truth, and it earned a "don't be an ass, Daisuke" look from Taichi, but Daisuke ignored that one, too.

"How can I convince you?" Taichi asked, almost beseechingly. "Just give up on Hikari. Your life is odd enough without you chasing a priestess-in-training on top of the inheritance."

It was true - Daisuke did have an odd life. He lived by himself in an enormous house, so even if he hadn't been coming to the tavern to see Hikari, Daisuke might have come just for some decent company. Living alone was no fun. It was the family fortune he had inherited, but his sister, Jun, was supposed to be there to share it. She had been annoying, but even that was preferable to her being gone, Daisuke reluctantly admitted to himself. She'd just taken her half of the money and left.

"I don't want to be convinced." Daisuke turned away slightly, knowing he was being childish, and not caring. "I like my odd life."

"Priestesses are supposed to be celibate, you know," Taichi added, almost offhand. Daisuke, however, _did_ know that it was a purposeful addition. He just didn't know what "celibate" meant. And Taichi didn't need to know that.

"It means she's not supposed to have relationships, Dai. She can't have sex," Taichi said bluntly, but he sounded bemused. Daisuke frowned; Taichi wasn't supposed to guess what Daisuke was thinking so easily. And it had been unnecessary, saying "sex." Hikari was too _pure_ to think about like that.

"Whatever," Daisuke said petulantly, defeated. Taichi had won that round. Stubbornly, Daisuke tried to ignore Taichi for the rest of the afternoon, to get back at him, but Daisuke's willpower wasn't that strong. Eventually, Taichi got the younger boy to cave in, and the conversation moved on to other things.

-

Lira: Ta-DA! Chapter one and all twelve of the children have appeared. Jun even received an honorable mention, since I don't foresee her making a real appearance.

Iori: In my defense, I'd like to say that I don't MOON. (points up the page, where he's written as staring mindlessly into a magic pool)

Lira: (glare) If I say you moon, you MOON! You PINE and you PERISH and-- Eh, where was I going with this?

Iori: (sweatdrop) ANYWAY, tell us what you think. Does it suck? Is it good? Should Lira write more real soon? Should she resign from writing fanfiction and spare you the horror of an update? The review button is your friend!

Lira: Read: I can do some last-minute pimping if I want to! (pets her story) I'll even answer questions in my next introduction. Hit me with your best shot.

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	2. CHAPTER TWO

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Lira: All of the characters have been brought into play, and we're now ready for the second chapter- with a fun little twist included in this chapter's introduction!

Iori: *suspicious* And just what might that be? 

Sora: *walks up behind Iori* …I was told to come here?

Iori: So Sora is your surprise?

Lira: Yes! We're going to have a guest speaker doing the disclaiming each chapter! Isn't that fun? I thought we'd start out with one of the less important characters, and work our way UP to the FUN people… 

Sora: … *indignant* ANYWAY- digimon still does not belong to Lira-chan. If it DID, she probably wouldn't have the audacity to say that I'M unimportant… *fuming* 

Lira: *sweatdrop* I think we'll get on with the fic now!

Iori: That's right, run off… This one's dedicated to the usual crew- Karasu, Rae, Aphrael, that means you. With a mini-dedication to Kali-chan. 

Lira: Love you, Kali! Love to my best people on the web. And now, the fic. 

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**SABOTAGE CONSPIRACIES AND MEDIEVAL MATCHMAKING**

-by: lira-chan-

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$~~ Chapter Two ~~$

          When Sora had given up on recruiting Hikari to work in her tavern- with surprisingly little resistance- it hadn't truly been the end of her scheming. Perhaps Taichi wouldn't help her, but he wasn't the *only* server in her employ. That was why Yamato found himself in Sora's office mere minutes after Taichi had left it. 

          "Yamato," Sora began, smiling a tight-lipped smile. Judging by her tone of voice, Yamato reckoned that he did *not* want to mess with Sora at the present. "I take it you know why you're here?"

          "I wouldn't say that I knew, but I can guess." Yamato was aiming for diplomacy; he wasn't trying to sound like a smart-aleck. Not really. 

          "Yeah, well, I guess *everyone* knows about the new tavern opening up," Sora said, almost bitterly. "The question is… What are we going to do about it?"

          "Do about it?" Yamato echoed. "Why should we do anything at all? Wouldn't it be easier to just continue running our tavern in the same way we always have?" 

          "Easier, maybe," Sora said dismissively. "But since when did we start taking the easy way out? We've been here longer. There is no *way* I'm going to just sit back and allow some newcomer to take over; there's no way I'm going to lose face to that girl." 

          "Who is the new tavern owner, anyway?" Yamato asked. The dark look Sora shot him instantly relieved him of any desire to have his question answered, but it was too late not to ask. 

          "It's Mimi," Sora said shortly. To Yamato, that simple statement spoke volumes; he had known Mimi personally, before she'd left their town. 

          "So we're competing, financially, with Mimi?" Yamato asked carefully, tone of voice neutral. If anything, knowing who they were dealing with only made Yamato regard Sora with increased trepidation; Mimi herself wasn't much of a threat, but the effect she had on Sora *was* threatening. 

          "We are." Again with the short statements. "But it will be hard to one-up Mimi… She has three people working for her, just like us, and Taichi won't let Hikari work. If Hikari doesn't start doing her share of the work, we'll lose business to Mimi. We can't lose business… We can't…"

          Yamato had already decided that it *probably* wasn't the best time to alert Sora to her growing obsession, but a suggestion couldn't hurt… "You know, if you let me start cooking, we might make more money. I'm actually a really good coo-"

          "Yamato," Sora said coolly, then, as if he'd asked for something completely preposterous, "you know I can't let you cook. If I do, who will take care of the money? *Taichi* can't do it, you know that. No, it's much better if I just do the cooking myself." 

          The tone of voice Sora had affected really irked Yamato, but he held his tongue. As much as he hated being talked down to, picking a fight with your boss over something as meaningless as a condescending tone of voice *usually* wasn't a good idea. Yamato did like remaining employed. He also wouldn't mention the fact that the food he cooked was *infinitely* better than Sora's- and that he wasn't the only person to say so. Comments such as those really didn't go over well with people in positions of authority. 

          "That was my only suggestion regarding ways to make more money than Mimi, if that's really the problem. If you don't like my idea, maybe you have something better?" 

          "Well…" Yamato decided *right* then that he *really* did not like the look in Sora's eyes. Whatever came next was *not* something he was going to like. "If we can't one-up Mimi the proper way… There's always sabotage." 

          "Sabotage?" Yamato echoed, once again keeping his voice neutral. Sora probably didn't want to know that he thought the idea was a bad one. Sora probably wouldn't care. 

          "If Mimi's out of business, she can't possibly make more money than us," Sora stated matter-of-fact-ly, as if it were the most obvious conclusion in the world. "What we need now is a *plan*- a way to get in there, mess things up, and get out, all without getting caught. And in order to do that… We need some inside information."

          "So, what exactly are you thinking?" Yamato forced himself to ask, although he knew he would probably think better of it once he'd heard. 

          "Well… You know Mimi…" Sora began, the mischievous glint returning to her eyes. "In fact, we two are the *only* ones who really remember Mimi, aren't we? But *I* can't go in there- I'm the one who owns the rival tavern! Can you imagine how that would look? There's only one possible solution. You'll do it."

          "I'll do it!" Yamato exclaimed, taken aback. He most definitely did *not* want to "do it." Oh, Yamato remembered Mimi. Back when Mimi had lived in their town, she always used to say how "pretty" Yamato was. She thought he had nice hair- wished he would grow it out so she could play with it. Knowing Mimi… Yamato only *just* managed not to reach up, right in front of Sora, and tug on his hair. There was no way he was letting Mimi give him a make-over. Not for whatever bonus Sora promised him. 

          "Of course you'll do it." Perhaps Sora *knew* that Mimi would kill for an opportunity to dress Yamato up in some of her things. That was probably why she'd suddenly switched into "damage control" mode, voice soothing. "It'll be fine. Mimi will recognize you, you two can talk, you can scope out the place… And I'll give you a nice raise!" 

          "No way," Yamato replied flatly. 

          "If you don't do it," Sora countered, steel in her voice. "Then who will?"

          "I don't know!" Yamato exclaimed irrationally. He didn't want to lose his job, but Sora was going to drive him insane. He'd rather insult Hikari to Taichi's face than face Mimi, and that was saying a lot. Still, there was no way Yamato would get out of Sora's trap if he freaked out. He'd have to calm down and *think* instead. 

          "Touch-y," Sora said disdainfully, in a tone of voice that just *screamed* "raise your voice to me again, and you'll be sleeping in the streets." 

          "But I can't do it," Yamato said, formulating a plan as he went. It had better work… "You're trying to one-up Mimi- do you really think she'd just sit back and let you do that? I doubt it. Mimi already knows that Taichi, Takeru, and I work for you. It's unlikely that she'd let any of us into the tavern, not even me- and I'm an old friend. Her doorman would make sure that we don't get in- she really has one. You'll *have* to find someone else."

          "You may be right…" Sora mused, going thoughtful. Yamato couldn't believe that she'd bought what he was saying. Well… Perhaps he could. Yamato really didn't know what *Mimi* knew, but knowing Mimi herself… She wouldn't want to be out of the loop. She *would* know who was working for Sora- or she would find out. So he wasn't *exactly* lying. 

          "I have a suggestion, though." 

          Sora looked up at that, her expression shifting rapidly, revealing a mixture of hopefulness and suspicion. "Go on." 

          "Hikari," Yamato said with a smile, fairly certain that his plan would pan out. "She's training to be a priestess, right? And she doesn't work for you. Therefore, Mimi couldn't possibly become suspicious of her; priestesses are good people, and as a priestess, Hikari would have an excuse to visit the tavern. She'd have an excuse to ask for a tour. She could just say it was part of her priestess-ly duties, and Mimi would probably lead her around happily."

          "You're probably right," Sora said, and then she was smiling too, although *her* smile put Yamato on edge, just a *little* bit. "I just hope this isn't back to the drawing board- we'll still have to talk to Taichi." 

          "Don't worry about it too much," Yamato said, mainly to cover up his own worry over this slight flaw in the plan. And he was almost home free… "It isn't as if Hikari would have to work hours every day. She'd just visit the new tavern for an hour or two one evening, and then it'll be over. Taichi will understand."

          "In that case, you may go."

          More than a little bit relieved, Yamato rose from where he sat, upon entering the office at the beginning of the pseudo-interview. Turning quickly, before Sora could change her mind, Yamato left the room. 

          Yamato walked slowly down the hallway leading back to the common room, telling himself that he *wasn't* counting seconds in his head. He *wasn't* keeping track of exactly how much time had passed since he'd escaped Sora. But when he hit one-twenty, Yamato decided that he was safe- from Sora, at least. There was still the tiny matter of having more or less sold out his best friend's sister to the wicked witch… But Taichi didn't have to know that having Hikari spy was *Yamato's* idea- right? 

          Right. 

          Yamato emerged from the hallway, pushing open the doors to the common room. At that time of day, the tavern wasn't particularly popular, so Yamato wasn't surprised when the room proved to be nearly empty, save for Taichi and Daisuke sitting at Daisuke's usual table. Yamato started to walk over, noting that Daisuke didn't look quite as cheerful as he usually did. Meaning he'd probably lost some sort of argument to Taichi, leaving Taichi to try and apologize when he hadn't *really* done anything wrong. Poor Taichi… 

          "Daisuke. Taichi," Yamato greeted the two, pulling out a chair from Daisuke's table, and dropping into the seat. "What's going on?" 

          "Nothing much," Daisuke admitted, tone civil enough. Still, the looks he was shooting Taichi were rather reproachful. 

          "Maybe you'll tell us what's going on with you?" Taichi asked in response, rather than answering. Yamato had anticipated Daisuke's moodiness; his face had revealed everything Yamato needed to know. But Taichi? Taichi actually sounded almost suspicious. Yamato didn't like that. 

          "Nothing. I was just talking to Sora… Why do you ask?" 

          "Talking to Sora, huh?" Taichi's voice was level, measured- which was *odd.* Taichi usually didn't *think* about what he was saying, unless he wanted something. Still, there would be no mistaking it- Taichi sounded suspicious of something. 

          It didn't help Yamato's nerves, which were beginning to fray, that Daisuke was no longer looking so peevish- instead, he appeared to be absorbed by Yamato and Taichi's conversation. That probably didn't bode well… Yamato had a feeling that there was an argument brewing, and Daisuke knew it, too. 

          "Yeah, Sora. Our boss, you know? Sometimes I talk to her, because if she asks me to, and I don't, she might fire me. Wouldn't want that to happen, would you?" Yamato kept *his* tone light, trying to ease the growing tension. It wasn't working. 

          Taichi glared at him. "I *know* she's our boss. That's the whole problem! What do you think you're *doing,* talking to Sora? You're sucking up, aren't you? Aren't you!" 

          Well, that was a bit unexpected; Yamato was somewhat taken aback. His blue eyes widened, then narrowed; Taichi had no right to accuse him of anything. 

          "I'm not sucking up," he said coldly, keeping his expression more or less blank. "Why would I do *that*?"

          "Oh, I don't know, maybe because you think you're *better* than certain other people around here? Maybe you think that if you cozy up to Sora, maybe kindle the fires a bit, she'll give *you* a raise- and not me!"

          "Taichi!" Yamato's eyebrows came down and together in exasperation. "That's ridiculou-"

          "No! It's not! I have to support both myself *and* my sister- a pretty noble cause, if I do say so myself- and what are you doing? Nothing quite so kind, I'm sure. Your brother doesn't need your help- he can take care of himself. And he does; he works. But maybe you aren't working hard enough, and maybe you don't want to- so maybe you'll just fuck around with Sora a bit, you promiscuous little slu-"

          The sound of flesh solidly contacting flesh cut off the last of Taichi's words neatly, and then the brunette was on his back on the tavern floor, having toppled his chair when he fell. 

          Yamato had pushed his own chair back so abruptly that it swayed on two legs for a second, but his chair didn't fall. Yamato stood there, over Taichi, sapphire eyes dark with suppressed rage. He was breathing heavily, and heat was rising to his face- from anger, not embarrassment. His arms had dropped to his sides, where Yamato held them stiffly; his palm stung from slapping Taichi, although Yamato thought, not without some satisfaction, that Taichi's cheek probably hurt worse. Yamato might have made a fist and decked Taichi, but smacking him one had worked just as well. After all, it had shocked Taichi into silence, which suited Yamato just fine. 

          "I can't believe you actually think that of me," Yamato said lowly, in a dangerously controlled voice. He was resisting the urge to hiss, although he couldn't help trembling. "I don't know why you started this in the first place- I don't know what you thought you would gain, and I don't care. But I don't need to sit here and listen to you accuse me of things that aren't true. I don't need to hear your insults. If you feel like apologizing, go ahead and find me, Yagami- assuming I want to be found. I sure as hell *don't* want to see you." 

          That said, Yamato turned away. He'd said that he didn't want to see Taichi, and that hadn't been a lie- he didn't want to see Taichi's reaction to his words, and he didn't want to see the red mark that would doubtlessly be appearing on Taichi's cheek. For that matter, he didn't want to know what Daisuke thought of the fight, either. If the stupid boy actually had the audacity to refer to it as a lovers' spat, Yamato just might sock him one, too. And that would be a *real* punch, not a slap. 

          Still fuming, Yamato marched back out of the common room, pushing the doors to the hall open before him. He was heading for the stairs leading to the bedrooms. Thankfully, neither Taichi nor Daisuke called after him. He didn't want either boy to see the tears forming in his eyes- that he just wouldn't be able to stand. He was *tougher* than that- he would *not* cry about something as stupid as some petty insults thrown by Yagami Taichi. They'd been friends for forever, and they got into fights all the time. Why was this any different? 

          Oh, *that* was right. This was different because Taichi had hit a personal sore spot, making Yamato want to do nothing more than curl up in his bed and sleep for the next *month.* A "promiscuous little slut"? Yamato hadn't known that Taichi even knew the *meaning* of the word "promiscuous," let alone how to use it in a sentence. And was that really what Taichi thought of Yamato? That he would whore himself out, to *Sora* of all people, just for a lousy raise? 

          The things Taichi didn't know… Yes, Yamato was bitter- didn't he have a right to be? Perhaps Yamato might be persuaded to give himself over to *certain* people- but not after having his morals so thoroughly shot. He wasn't even in the mood to think about it. 

          Back in the common room in Sora's tavern, one very shocked Yagami Taichi watched the doors to the hallway swing shut behind his best friend, the oh-so-pretty Ishida Yamato. Although, after the pointed words they had exchanged, perhaps Taichi shouldn't be so quick to call Yamato his "best friend." That status might have been revised, as of two minutes earlier. Why had Taichi *said* all of those things to Yamato anyway? It wasn't like he really meant any of it… 

          Honestly, they'd known each other for most of their lives. They were *best friends.* They had the same job at the same place, they even practically *lived* together- they did have separate rooms, but that was just one tiny wall separating them. But they weren't the *only* ones to live above the tavern- nor were they the only ones to *work* in the tavern. Sora was the head of it all, and *she* was the one who *really* got to Taichi. Sora thought she was so great, the boss of it all… Taichi would show her… He'd show her… 

          Too bad Taichi didn't know what, exactly, he was supposed to be showing Sora. It wasn't *her* fault that he'd made an ass of himself in front of Yamato. He'd made an ass of himself *over* Sora, but that was entirely different, and Taichi would have to admit to as much. 

          Realizing he was still sitting on the tavern floor, Taichi slowly got to his feet, rubbing his aching back and righting the chair he'd knocked over. Wearily, he dropped back into that very chair, before looking across the table. There was Daisuke, staring at him rather intently. For the moment, Taichi didn't care. He just dropped his head into his hands, fully prepared to further berate himself. 

          "Don't you think that was kinda unnecessary?" 

          The voice that had spoken had been soft, and for a moment Taichi thought that it *couldn't* have been Daisuke- Daisuke didn't *do* things quietly. But, upon raising his head warily, Taichi saw that Daisuke was still looking at him. Obviously Daisuke was waiting for a response. 

          "Yeah. It kinda was." 

          That was all Taichi said. Afterwards, he dropped his forehead onto the wooden table, wrapping his arms around his head. Stupid, stupid Taichi. He knew Yamato too well- he knew that Yamato wouldn't sell himself for money. But Sora… Well, if there was something going on between Sora and Yamato, that was *Yamato's* business. He and Taichi were friends- or they *had* been- and Taichi knew that friends weren't supposed to mess around with each other's lives when not invited. If Yamato wanted to have sex with to a domineering *bitch* who just so happened to be their *boss*- 

          "Taichi." 

          Taichi was in the middle of lifting his head from the table *again,* fully prepared to tell Daisuke to fuck off, because Taichi wasn't in the mood- and then Taichi realized that it *wasn't* Daisuke speaking. Daisuke was still watching Taichi, but behind Daisuke… There stood Sora. Domineering bitch. 

          Taichi knew that Sora was his boss, knew he should try not to think badly of her- at least just so he'd avoid ever actually *saying* something bad about her- and he knew that it was *not* in his best interest to ignore her. Still, he was *not* in the mood. Glaring rather pointedly, he said, "Fuck off, Sora." 

          He was about to try and tune the world out *again,* but he caught sight of the *very* warning look Sora was directing at him, a look that said "I've very generously let you off this time, seeing as you're rather… Unhappy… But don't push your luck, I'm not *fucking* with you." 

          "I just need to speak with you quickly, Taichi. This won't take more than a minute." Sora's voice was polite enough, even if her looks weren't. It actually didn't occur to Taichi that she might want something from him; somehow, he naively thought that she might be being *nice.* 

          "Alright. Make it quick, please." Both Taichi's voice and his eyes made it clear that speaking was paining him, emotionally if not physically. It didn't help that his posture was still incredibly defensive, or that there was a bright red mark across his left cheek. 

          "It's not a big deal, really. I've just figured out a way to ensure our tavern's well-being without Hikari having to work full time. Instead, I'll allow her to do just *one* little job for me. One night, just a few hours, and then it will be over. However, I thought that you might… Appreciate… If I asked you about this idea before confronting Hikari herself." 

          Under normal circumstances, Taichi would have denied Sora her request, merely on principle. For one thing, it was *Sora* who was asking. Taichi would have denied her a request just out of spite, *before* anything had happened, but now that he was blaming her for pissing Yamato off… Taichi would definitely take vindictive pleasure out of withholding *anything* from Sora. Not only that, but Sora was asking for Hikari's time. As a matter of principle, Taichi didn't allow *anyone* to consume more of Hikari's time than absolutely necessary. Sora's request was positively absurd, seen through Taichi's eyes. 

          "Just one night? A few hours? Well… I guess it probably wouldn't hurt. But you'll have to tell me what you want her for, first." 

          "Hikari's training to be a priestess, is she not?" Taichi got the vague impression that Sora was dancing around the question, as if skipping over hot coals. Still, he wasn't in the mood to snap at her to hurry things up and just spit it *out* already. "I would need her to visit Mimi's tavern, as a priestess. She'll go in, have a few words with Mimi, about the tavern and stuff, maybe get a tour… And bring all of her information back to us."

          Taichi was going to ask Sora *why* Hikari would be bringing information about Mimi's tavern back to them, but he thought better of it. Sure, he was a bit curious, but was it *really* all that important? Sora would probably just snap at him and end up not explaining anything. It wasn't worth it, considering the mood Taichi was in. Stupid Sora. Evil bitch. 

          "I guess that's alright. It doesn't sound too hard or anything, and if she's doing it as a priestess, it might actually help Hikari… In some odd way." 

          Taichi was too miserable to do anything but agree. Perhaps it was his misery that caused him to overlook the positively *gleeful* grin that spread across Sora's face, before the girl schooled her expression back into its usual businesslike mask. 

          "Thank you, Taichi. I'll speak to Hikari about it later tonight. I'm sure she won't mind. Now, don't forget, you've already agreed to this. Once Hikari agrees as well, you won't be able to change your mind."

          "Whatever." 

          Sora grinned again, but this time it wasn't a matter of Taichi not *processing* the grin's disappearance- the smile didn't fade. Sora turned abruptly, and headed back in the direction of her office. At least, Taichi might suppose she was headed for her office; once she was through the double doors opening onto the back hall, Taichi wouldn't be able to see. He also didn't see how Daisuke's eyes had lit up, at the first mention of Hikari's name. Some things didn't change… But had Taichi truly been thinking, he would have worried a bit more about the eager expression on Daisuke's face. At that moment, none of it mattered. 

          "Hey, Dai, I'm gonna go… Sleep… Now. I guess you can stay if you like, sorry I wasn't better company. Don't like to ditch you like this, either." 

          Taichi might have been babbling, but he didn't much care. Hardly seeing where he was going, he shoved his chair back from the table, stumbling in Sora's wake in the direction of the hallway. Pushing one of the doors open, Taichi continued down the hall. Somehow, his fight with Yamato had worn him out severely, despite the fact that Yamato was the only one to do anything physical- and that was just that one slap. Figured. Yamato would be the one to slap Taichi, rather than punch him. Still, Taichi's cheek STUNG. Maybe he'd remember to put something on it before he reached his bed. Maybe not. 

          In the colorless depths of a bottomless magic looking-pool, the image of the back hallway in Sora's tavern came into view. This time, Iori was sitting back on his heels, and Miyako was nowhere in sight. Then again, that wasn't saying much- the girl could pop in at any second, and Iori wouldn't even see it coming. Still, Iori was fairly certain that Miyako's fun for the day had been had, meaning she wouldn't be back. 

          Iori knew that he would have his peace for the rest of… Well, he wasn't exactly sure when one day ended and another began, but with the aide of the looking-pool, he could keep track of day and night on earth. However, Iori actually *wasn't* spying on Takeru at the moment. He'd continued at that game for a while after Miyako's exit, but every once in a while Iori *did* take the time to check up on the other residents of the tavern. It helped to know what was going on down there- especially if he ever did take Miyako up on her suggestion of visiting the place himself. 

          Presently, Iori was watching with interest as a certain *other* blue-eyed blonde stormed through the doors leading to the common room. And Iori had been dismissing Yamato as unimportant… This looked *interesting.* Forgetting about how it wasn't "polite" to spy, Iori adjusted the focus for Yamato's face with a thought. And wasn't *that* the interesting picture? Something had gotten Yamato more than a little worked up… His face… Was Yamato starting to cry? 

          That was when the guilt hit Iori, but he couldn't just turn the pool off *then.* He'd already started watching, and he wanted to know if Yamato would do anything to indicate *why* he was so upset. Yamato kept walking, the pool remaining trained upon his face, while managing to offer Iori a sense of where Yamato was heading at the same time. The blonde opened a doorway, and began to mount a flight of stairs. 

          At the top of the staircase, Yamato turned, providing Iori with a view of the upstairs in the tavern. There were many identical wooden doors opening off of the hall, but their closeness revealed that the rooms behind the doors weren't overly large. Yamato still looked to Takeru as if he was sleepwalking, but he managed to turn a doorknob, walking into the room behind the door. 

          Iori disregarded Yamato for a moment, looking around the boy's room instead. Everything was in perfect order, but that was no surprise. Iori had picked up on tendencies of Yamato's indicating that he might be a bit of a neat freak. Directing the view back over to Yamato, Iori was in time to see the boy merely dropping onto the small bed, as if he didn't much mind whether he hurt himself or not by falling. Hitting the mattress, Yamato slid upwards toward the head of the bed, before drawing his knees up to his chest and tugging the blanket up over his head. 

          Iori had watched all of Yamato's depressed antics with slightly detached interest, and he was about to cut his losses and give up- Yamato wasn't going to do anything else. However, right before he was going to dismiss the image, Iori caught sight of a slight movement near the blonde's face. Yamato's lips were moving, as if he were talking in his sleep. 

          Focusing in on Yamato's face, Iori just managed to catch the words. "…Stupid Taichi. Dumb as a brick. Couldn't even tell that I l- don't love Sora. Don't even like her. Stupid witch. Stupid Sora."

          Yamato kept on with his mumbling for a bit longer, but Iori couldn't exactly understand the rest, and he didn't think it was important. The only part that was important was what he'd already heard. This… This was interesting. Maybe he could use Miyako's advice after all… But not in the way she had been suggesting. Yes, Iori thought he could come up with *quite* the plan. Better than Miyako's, even. His might not be "perfect," but at least his made *sense.* 

          As soon as Yamato woke up. As soon as the blonde boy was awake, Iori could see about beginning to implement his plan. 

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Iori: …So I'm scheming, now?

Lira: *cheerfully* That's right! And how are all you Taito fans faring? Pretty Taito-heavy in this chapter, huh? Or rather… Heavy on scenes including Yamato or Taichi. No romance just yet! *cackle*

Iori: Don't mind her. She's insane. 

Lira: *indignant* Am… Sort of? Anyway, "the plan" will be in effect next chapter. 

Iori: Interested? Well, I don't see why you would be… But if you'd like to read more, I know the fangirl over there will only be more than willing to oblige. 

Lira: That's right! 

~~$~~ ~~&~~ ~~$~~ ~~&~~ ~~$~~ ~~&~~ ~~$~~


End file.
